Controller interlock



Patented Oct. 13, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES W. WYMAN, F CLAREMONT, NEW HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOR T0 SULLIVAN MACHINERY COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

CONTROLLER INTERLOCK.

Application tiled June 80, 1921.

of preventing accidents due to improper operation thereof.

It has for its object to provide improved, simple and effective means for locking a plug, such as the connector plug through which the machine is supplied with current, against removal or insertion except when the controller of the machine is in oit position, in order to prevent arcing or other undesirable results which might result from removal or insertion of the connector plug at other times.

The more particular objects of invention, together with means whereby the same may be carried into effect, will best be understood from the following description of one form or embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a plan view of an electrically driven mining machine equipped with the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan View, partly broken away and partly in section, of a portion of the rear end of the machine shown in Fig. 1, illustrating the locking device in released position to permit the removal of the connector plug.

Fig. 3 is a detail section of the locking device showing the same in locking position.

Fig. 4 is a detail section taken substantially on line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

In Fig. 1 the invention is illustrated as applied to a mining machine of the longwall type, said machine comprising a casing 1() having at one end a swinging or angularly adjustable cutter bar 11 provided with the usual cutter chain 12 and at its opposite end with a rotatable feed member or sprocket 13 cooperating with a flexible feed member or chain 14, which, in accordance with the usual practice, is anchored at one Serial No. 481,695.

end and passes about suitably disposed guide sprockets 15, whereby rotation of the feed sprocket 13 and the simultaneous actuation of the cutter chain 12 causes the machine to move longitudinally along a mine face and the cutter bar 11 to cut a kerf in said face. The cutter chain 12 and feed sprocket 13 are operated, through suitable mechanical connections well known in the art, from an electric motor 16 governed by a controller 17 of any suitable and well known type, said motor being supplied with current by a cable or other conductor 18 which is detachably connected, through a suitable coupling 19, with conductors 2O leading to the controller 17. The controller 17 is operated by a longitudinally movable bar 21 having at its end a rack 22 cooperating with a pinion 23 on a short upright shaft 24 journaled in the casing 10 and provided above said casing with a controllerl handle movable over the usual segment 26.

In the construction shown, the detachable coupling 19 comprises a connector plug 27 ot any suitable or well known form and to which the cable 18 is connected, said plug being insertable into or removable from a socket 2S secured to the casing 10 and electrically connected with the conductor 20. In the usc of plug and socket connectors of this type, it is desirable that the plug be removed only when the controller is in the off position, or in the position to break the circuit to the motor, since otherwise the removal of the plug is likely to result in arcing which may not only injure the machine but which, in the case of a mining machine, may ignite the mine gases and cause a disastrous explosion. It will also be evident that it is also highly undesirable t'or the plug` to be inserted when the controller is in on position. In ordcr to prevent such improper removal or insertion of the plug 27, and in accordance with the present invention, the following simple mechanism is employed:

The pinion or gear 23 on the controller handle shaft meshes with a second pinion or gear 29 (Fig. 4) on a second upright shaft 30 journaled in a housing 31 secured to the socket 28 by a cap screw 34. The shaft 30 is provided with a cam portion formed by cutting away or flattening said shaft for a portion of its length, as shown gt 32, siid cam1 potrtion cooperating vgth tlile ree en iof': 1 e; ,is 33* Wt in the1 i ai $1 apn'psgecurdilpzeits" end opposite the shaft 30, by the cap screw 34, bww/mhe tap effsaid -housingfamia., Spacing block 35. Adievent theshafe ae the spring 33 carries a locking pin 36 which is receivedin an opening 37 in the wailltof the socket 28 and is movable therein into and out of engagement witha locking recess in the plug 27 In 25isi1gglie obf sitionv shown in full lines in Eig. 2, the shat030 isv turned, through the gearsf23 and 29, intq the angular position slinwn in Fig 2, with its flattened portion 32 opposite t `evs ringt 33, thereby permitting said'spring o li the locking 'n 36 outoftlr'e socket 38 so as to unlock t e' plug 2'? permit removal thereof. When, how'- evegthe controller handle 25 is turned into a `.other, position' for example, that shown in oken lines in ig. 2, the, shaft 30 is likewise turned, causing the cam portion thereof to d" ress the spring 33, as shown in Fig. 3, an holding the pm 36 in locking engagement with the recess 38 in the plug 27 so as to revent removal of said plug from the soc fet 28 or its insertion if it is out.

From the foregoing it will be seen that theinvention provides a very simple and inexpensive, but extremely effective device for preventing the removal of the connector plug and consequent arcing when the controllr is in a position to close the circuit.

It will be noted in this connection that the pinion 23, forming an essential part of mechanism for operating the controller, is.,` in accordance with the invention, made to perform the added function of operating or controlling the locking device, thereby contributing to the simplification of the mechanismV and the reduction of the number of necessary parts thereof.

While I have, herein shown in detail and specifically described one form which my invention may assume in practice, it willbe understood that the particular construction and arrangement described and shown have been chosen ,for illustrative purposes merely, and `that the invention may be otherwise embodied and practiced without departing from its spirit or the scope of the claims hereunto ap nded.

What-I c aim ,as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. The combination with motor current controlling means and a plug and socket in series therewith, of means for controlling the insertion and removal of said plug and the operation of said controlling means including a recess in said plug, a pin adapted to .engage in said recess, supporting means for said pin, and a member rotatable to cause ation when the controller handle said pin to enter said recess and operatively connected with Said controlling means, Said pinmevingelrvi'liarlninwmtmvdlich the axis of lftationfof smder'ottable member is perpendicular. 7 2 The combination W'` ta @mba controller handle, andlapgmikcircuit witl? said controller, of a locking device for said plug controlled by said handle and a leaf spring carrying said locking device and determiniiigf'the vtil of movement thereof, said leaf spring normally holding said lQcking device in unlocked' 'tlb 3. The-combinationwitlij a controller, aV controller handle, a socket ineiroult within said-controller, and aplug feeeivfediin socket, ofa l1' :l t; carrieelbyfsaid fsojcket; Va a leaf spring in sai housing, anda loclngf device atedandl entirv'el stip red ff" said spring and' controlled.' Vy "s #lland 4. The combination with a controllori-i813 controllerhandle,- a fnc'ircut mr "et said controller, and a-plug reeevedlin'fseidff socket, olf afhousing carriedlbrys'aid socket? andrmeans' in saidhousi-ng wd controlledlby 0., said handle for lockin said=plugfincludirlg holding docking e ements, the latter be- .BE ing entirely supported by the former. t

5. The combination with a controller, "1a-'t controller handle, asocket in circuit with?"l said controller, and a plug received ilh's'll socket, of a locking device for` saidj g'eon nl' trolled bysaidhandle andloemprismgmieli.M spring and a locking pin carried andiguidod by said spring, said socket lravingran open-- 10 ing to receive said pin. y p

6. The combination with1acontroller,a l controller handlea socket in circuit with." said controller, anda lu receivedin said Y socket, of a locking vice for said plug.` 105 controlled by said handle and comprising a housing carried by sa'dsocket', alaaf sprl in said housing, and a locking pin carri q and entirely supported by said spring, said:V socket having an opening to receive said pin 7. The combina-tion* with a-controller,' aA controller handle, a socket in circuit: with et: said controller, and a lugreeeived in said, socket, ot a locking devlce for lsaid plng'r i controlled'byfsaid handle, said'lockingkxde' 1w vice comprisin a leaf ring and afloc pin carried' an guided y said sprin an ,et said socket and plug being provid witlai` openings to receive said pini 8. The combination with a controller, 51120 controller handle, and -a plu in circuit with i said controller, of means or locllngsaid i plug, and a shaft operated by saidfhandle but rotatable on an axis oset from the axis. of rotation of said handle for controlling said locking means. f

9. Thecombination with a controller, af controllerhandle, land a plug in circuit with said controller, of means for loclringmsadi plug, and a shaft operated by. said handlm` o al, u wf.

but rotatable on an axis offset from the axis of rotation of said handle and provided with a cam for controlling said locking means.

l0. The combination with a controller, a controller handle, and a plug in circuit with said controller, of a locking device for said plug, a leaf spring for operating said lochingI device, and a shaft operated by said handle and having a flattened portion adapted to engage said sprino'.

ll. The combination with a controller, a controller handle, and plug in circuit with said controller, of means for locking said plug including a rotatable member, and gears connecting said handle and member.

l2. The combination With a controller, a controller handle, and a plug in circuit with said controller, of means for locking said plug, a shaft for controlling said locking means, and gears connecting said handle and shaft.

13. The combination with a controller, a controller handle, and a plug in circuit with said controller, of means for locking said plug, and a member connected with said handle for operating both said controller and said locking means, said member lying intermediate the same.

M. The combination With a controller, a controller handle, and a plug in circuit with said controller, of means normally7 biased to inactive position for locking said plug, a gear connected with said handle for operating said controller, and a gear meshing with said first named gear for operating said locking means.

l5. The combination with a controller, a controller handle, a socket in circuit with said controller, and a plug received in said socket, of a leaf spring carried by said socket, a locking pin carried by said spring, said socket and plug having openings to receive said pin, a shaft having a cam portion cooperating with said spring, a gear connected with said handle for operating said controller, and a gear on said shaft meshing with said first named gear.

l5. The combination with a controller, a. controller handle, and a plug in circuit with said controller, of means for locking said pluv', a shaft by which said handle is carried, a pinion on said shaft for operating said lockingl means, and a rack cooperating with said pinion for operating said con-- troller.

i?. The combination with a. controller, a` controller handle, and a plug in circuit with said controller, of means for locking said plug, a shaftfor controlling said locking marins, a gear carried by vsaid shaft, a shaft by which said handle is carried, a pinion on said last n; e"X shaft meshing with said gear, and a racli cooperating with said pinion for operating said controller.

1S. ln combination, in a controller, a plurality of ci'z'uit establishing elements, locking n'ieans for at least one of the same, and a single controlling handle having a pinion common to the actuation of said locl-1 ing means and another element.

The combination with a controller, of a circuit establishing member, and means for locking Vthe same comprising a strip-like member and a rotatable shaft having a flattened portion adapted to engage said strip.

20. The coinbination with a controller, of a circuit establishing member, and means for locking the same comprising a strip-like member, a projection carried thereby, means forming a recess to receive said projection, and actuating means for said strip-like member comprising a rotatable shaft having a flattened portion adapted to engage said strip.

2l. The combination Wit-h a controller, of

a pli'irality of elements one of which is longitudinally movable and has a rack gear associated therewith and the other of `Which is rotatable and has a pinion gear associated therewith, and common actuating means therefor including a pinion meshing with each of said gears.

9? he combination with a controller, of a plurality of elements one of Which is longitudinally movable and has a rack gear associated therewith and the other of which is rotatable and has a pinion gear, common actuating means therefor including a pinion meshing with each of said gears, and locke ing means associated With and actuated by one of said elements.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

CHARLES lV. VYMAN, 

